Kakuzu's Blast From the Past
by Chris Rode
Summary: *Story up for adoption*
1. Chapter 1: New Recruit

**I know, I know, I really should not be doing this. But I think we all know by now that there is just no stopping my brain, okay?**

**And I have been strangely obsessed with Kakuzu as of late, and therefore will more than likely be writing multiple side stories about him, preferably with an OC :P**

**Anyway, at least let me know what you guys think of this. I have a feeling it's going to be somewhat bearable XD**

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I cleared my throat quietly as I stood in front of the door to the rather large two-story house. I procrastinated by straightening every fold and wrinkle in my shirt and pants, as well as making sure there was not a speck of dust or dirt on my longsword, giving it a twirl or two before slinging it into its holster on my back. Then I took a deep breath and raised my fist to knock on the door.

**_*Inside*_**

The tentative knock sounded throughout the quiet house. Everyone looked at Kakuzu, who was glaring at the door. Pein stood and stepped in front of the taller man, giving him a stern look.

"Kakuzu, this is your thirtieth partner. I expect her to outlast the others by some degree." The Leader said. Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.

"You didn't mention it was going to be a girl." He said in a low growl. Pein lifted his chin.

"Trust me, it doesn't matter. She's highly talented and possesses some fortunate qualities that you should find rather interesting." He told the stitching nin, stepping aside. "Now, go answer the door. And remember your manners. I'd rather you didn't scare her off before she steps foot through the door. Mask up." He ordered. Kakuzu rolled his eyes and strapped on his mask, heading toward the door.

Honestly, why did he have to be the one to greet the girl? Why couldn't he just meet her on the first mission they were assigned together like any other partner? Damn Leader and his odd little quirks...

Still, he forced himself to try not to appear intimidating (pfft) as he opened the door. He was quite taken aback by the sight that met his eyes.

Pale skin, pitch black hair, and teal blue eyes that caught the light just right as she looked up (and up and up) at him. She wore a simple black tank-top that hugged her slander yet well-defined frame, dark gray cargo Capri, and black sandals with bandage wrapping around her legs. She carried a bulky sword on her back that seemed to match the length of her body. But none of that truly caught his attention as much as what decorated her snow-white skin.

It was riddled with what looked to be burn scars, much in the same pattern as his own randomized stitches. It was as if she'd reattached her seemingly broken body parts with wax, leaving a clearly defined scar line. He couldn't stop his mouth from falling open slightly though she could not see it.

"Um..." She swallowed deeply. "Is this the Akatsuki residence?" She asked timidly. He didn't answer, finding it nearly impossible to even form a coherent thought at the moment.

**_*Shihai's POV*_**

I gulped when he didn't answer my question. Maybe I had gotten the wrong address after all. No matter how tall and, admittedly, scary this guy looked, he probably thought I was a freak, what with all my scars. Damn my jutsu...why couldn't I have just let myself die when my head was cut off the first time?

"Kakuzu..." I jumped slightly at the sound of another, warning voice from inside the house. The man in front of me blinked, as if coming back into focus or something. He flustered for a moment at the door before stepping aside.

"Sorry." He mumbled from behind his mask, keeping his eyes downcast. I shrugged my shoulders up shyly as I walked past him, only taking a few steps over the threshold. It seemed I had entered the living room, for the couches and chairs were all occupied by men. Well, and one woman, but majority rules, I guess.

One of them stood and walked over to me - he had spiky orange hair and ringed eyes, as well as a shit-load of piercings that I figured must've made his face weigh a ton. He gave me a small smile that I thought must supposed to seem kind, though I couldn't really tell.

"You must be Shihai Utsubuki, correct?" He inquired, offering a hand. I swallowed and nodded, giving him a hesitant shake. He let go and gestured to the surroundings. "Welcome to the Akatsuki." He said. I looked around, half-expecting some sort of warm welcome, but was spared only glances from the other men, whom I assumed to be the other members of the Akatsuki. The one in front of me cleared his throat uncomfortably, turning my attention back to him. "I'm Pein, the Leader of the Akatsuki. Now, missions are normally executed by teams of two. So you'll be paired with Kakuzu other there." He said, gesturing to the one still standing by the door, which he had closed.

I gulped again. I was going to be his partner? I mean, I wasn't one to judge, but I got the feeling that he could easily snap my neck in one second flat, if he wanted to. Not that my body wouldn't be able to sear the bone figments back together, but I figured it would hurt pretty bad. I subconsciously rubbed my throat before coming back to my conscious mind and interlocking my fingers behind my back nervously.

"He'll show you to the room you'll be sharing." Pein continued, making me whirl around to face him with wide eyes. He blinked at this, but gave me that half-kind smile again. "Don't worry, there are separate beds." He assured me, although that was the least of my worries.

Okay, actually, it had been, like, number two on my worry list, but you get the point.

"Right. Kakuzu?" He waved the monster of a ninja over, and I didn't turn around when I sensed him stop a few feet behind me. I may have been an S-rank Shinobi, but that didn't mean I was immune to intimidation. I mean, come on, just the guy's height was enough to send some people running with their tails between their legs. I didn't even want to know what kind of jutsu he had, although I was fairly certain I'd find out on a mission or something.

"This way." Kakuzu said, walking past me and towards the hall. He paused at the entrance, turning slightly to look at me with his red and green eyes. My throat was already dry, but I swallowed through it again. This was not what I had thought the job description would entail.

I tentatively followed him down the hall, shuffling my feet slightly from nervousness. He opened a door and stepped aside to let me in. I did so cautiously, watching him out of my peripheral vision, which was nearly as good as my frontward vision.

I jumped slightly when he closed the door behind him, stealthily turning the lock behind his back. I turned to face him wearily, my breath not knowing how to work normally. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you." He said. I couldn't help but catch the nearly inaudible "hopefully" he muttered at the end, making my eyes widened just a little as I took a small step back. "Tell me how you got those scars." He said, taking a step forward as if in response to my action.

"It's p-part of my kekkei genkai. It allows me t-to put my body back together when it gets d-detached." I stuttered out, not finding the courage to even think about defying this man. I swear, the only true ninja-like thing about me is my ability to fight. I lost my mind in a fight, though, letting my body take over as if on auto-pilot, only resurfacing to consciousness to find my enemies slaughtered around me.

"What do you mean?" He persisted, taking another step closer as I took one back. I could sense the wall just a few feet behind me.

"I c-can't really explain it...but..." I bit my lip as I trailed off, feeling a burning heat rising up my neck and face. Another step.

"But what?" He asked. I could tell he was dying internally to find out my secrets. So, not chancing having him lose his patience with me or something, I reached for my weapons pouch. He immediately tensed, making me pause, too. Not meeting his eyes, I slowly continued toward the pouch, gradually pulling out a kunai that I held up for him to see. He relaxed slightly, but watched me intently.

I shakily lifted the knife to my other hand, holding it at the wrist. He tilted his head as he watched, not even flinching when I drew the blade across and sliced my hand clean off. Letting out a low hiss, I quickly dropped the knife and picked up my severed hand with my attached one. I sincerely hoped he thought that was a hiss of pain.

I held my hand back to the wrist that was leaking blood on the floor around my feet. As soon as the skin made contact, steam rose into the air, melting the figments back together - skin cell reproduction at an incredibly high speed. In mere seconds, my hand was working perfectly again, a new scar line to decorate my body.

I glanced up curiously, thinking it strange how he hadn't said anything yet. I met his calculating eyes, staring deeply at my wrist, which I instinctively hid behind my back. His eyes followed at first, making me blush deeper as they flickered over my body when he looked up to meet my eyes again.

"That's a very interesting jutsu you have there." He said. I shrugged and looked down. "Not much unlike my own." I looked up again as he said this, watching as he started to remove his headgear. I didn't know why, but I'd secretly been dying to see what he hid under that mask. A double chin? A snake tongue? Rabbit teeth?

I was met with none of those expectations when he finally pulled the cloth off. Long, dark brown hair cascaded down past his broad shoulders, a few thick strands dangling in front of his face. It didn't hide the main attraction, though, which my eyes were glued to. Starting from the corners of his mouth, stretching well beyond his jawline, were course stitches. I blinked, subconsciously taking a tiny step forward as the odd specimen mesmerized me.

My hand traveled up to my neck, which held just one of the many searing marks that held my body together. I didn't take my eyes off him as he proceeded to remove his cloak. I didn't care for the blush that crawled onto my face at the sight of his firm, fit body, easily defined by the hugging gray shirt he wore. His arms were marred with the same stitches, and he turned slightly to reveal more on his back. I had reason to believe the rest of his body was the same, just like mine.

He didn't turn to face me as I finally walked up to him, reaching up to lightly trace one line of stitches on his back. His shoulders moved steadily, but in such a way that would insinuate he was breathing deeply. I couldn't say I was in a better state, seeing as how my breath had pretty much up and left me the moment I walked into this house.

He shuddered, very slightly, when my finger accidentally caught one of the stitches. Curiously, I did it again, and his hung head lifted in a low hiss. I felt my heart rate rising, pounding against my chest as I continued to tease his back, taking in all the reactions he gave in response to my touch.

Before I knew it, my back was against the wall, his strong hands holding my wrists on either side of my head as he looked intently into my eyes. His were glazed over lightly with something I couldn't quite place, although I was fairly certain mine were no different. As I had thought, his chest rose and fell with deep pants that he was trying to even out.

"Don't ever do that again, if you know what's good for you." He growled out in his gruff voice before pulling away. He grabbed his cloak and headgear from the floor before stalking out the room, closing the door rather roughly on his way out. I just stood there, letting my arms fall to my side, my mouth still parted in a gape of awe.

What the hell was that all about?

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**Reviews? I'm gettin' kinda desperate here :P**


	2. Chapter 2: Medicine or

I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to do then, so I cautiously wandered out of the room. I was still fuzzy on what had happened between Kakuzu and I, if anything at all, but I felt as if it would be better to avoid him at the moment.

So I found my way back to the living room, where only a few members still sat. I took particular notice to a blonde and a redhead sitting on the couch together. I took the chair closer to the blonde, feeling more comfortable near another girl for some reason. Maybe she could help me not be so awkward or something. Anything would help, really.

The blonde looked at me and smiled, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth. "Hey there, un. I'm Deidara." She said, offering her hand. I gave a small smile back and shook it, not feeling the need to introduce myself since Pein had already announced me earlier.

Still, an odd sensation on my palm had me looking down at her hand just as she let go. I caught sight of a slight indentation on her palm, and tilted my head to the side to try and get a better look at it. She seemed to notice this and held it up for me to see clearly. Then the indentation moved, revealing another mouth, as well as on the other. I blinked and stared, though I hoped I wasn't insulting her. Honestly, it just surprised me. I mean, having mouths on your hands can come in handy for so many things.

"What are those for?" I asked, finally breaking away to look at her blue eyes again.

"I use them to make my clay, un. Infuse explosive chakra into it." She explained, pulling something out from a side-pouch inside her cloak. She held up a small ball of clay before letting her hand eat it. I watched with interest as it chewed, then spit it out and she molded it in her hand. When she opened her palm again, I saw that it had transformed into a small bug figure. I let out a breathy chuckle, nodding in approval.

"Very cool." I said, making her smile proudly as she pocketed the clay bug.

"Most people think it's repulsive, un." She said with distaste. I gave her a sympathetic look.

"Well, either way, your looks make up for it." I told her truthfully. Her lips twitched a little as she blushed, glancing down. "I mean, I totally wish I had hair like yours. How do you keep it from frizzing up and stuff?" I asked, really wanting to know her secret. I've tried all sorts of hair products, hair spray, and even gel, but there is just nothing that can keep my ebony locks from flying every which way, especially when I'm moving fast.

Still, the look she suddenly got on her face confused me. She glared ahead, seemingly at nothing in particular, her mouth set in a hard grimace. I gave her a worried look.

"What is it? Something wrong?" I asked, hoping I hadn't offended her somehow. Her jaw clenched and unclenched before she spoke.

"I'm not a girl, un." She said finally. I froze. Oh. I didn't offend her...

I offended him.

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I couldn't think of anything to say. I mean, how were you supposed to apologize for that? Surely it was a huge dump on the ego for a guy to be mistaken for a girl. But, come on, look at his hair! It looked like it belonged on a runway model, and so did his face! HIS face!

Tiny, muffled chuckles could be heard from beside Deidara, and I glanced around him to see the redhead holding a hand tightly over his mouth while his face turned red. I pursed my lips, refusing to join him in a fit of giggles. I turned back to Deidara, a hopefully sincere expression on my face.

"I am...so sorry. Like, really, really sorry. I shouldn't have made assumptions." I told him earnestly. He heaved a sigh and stood up.

"No, it's fine. Everyone makes the mistake at first, un." He said before walking off. As soon as he disappeared down the hall, the redhead erupted in laughter, making me have to look away to keep from falling down the same path.

"That was brilliant! I kinda like you." The redhead said, making me glance back at him. That was all it took to make me burst into laughter, too. I felt horribly ashamed, but more so of myself than the fact that Deidara did, in fact, look incredibly like a girl. But, now that I thought about it, his feminine looks could work in his favor as a guy, too. He was admittedly pretty hot.

"Um, thanks, I guess." I said, still chuckling a little. Once we had both calmed down, the front door opened and two of the people from before walked in, looking bloody and broken. I immediately jumped up out of reflex and took the arm of the limping one, putting it over my shoulders as I helped him to a chair. He was tall - nearly as tall as Kakuzu, but not quite - and had a faint blue tint to his skin, as well as navy blue hair.

His partner had dull black hair with identical bangs framing his face, tied loosely in the back, and eyes much the same shade. "What happened, Itachi?" The redhead asked as he also helped to steady the other into a seat.

"Well, we tried going after that Jinchuuriki Leader said was right outside of town." Itachi began.

"But we were ambushed by a group of ANBU. However, I don't think they were - argh!" The blue one was cut off by his own groan of pain, clutching his side. There was a deep, bleeding gash just under his rib cage, and he had multiple lacerations all over his body. Itachi looked only slightly better, but not by much.

"We don't think they were protecting the Jinchuuriki." Itachi finished for him. "Sasori, could you go get me a cup of tea? That always helps. One for Kisame, too." He added politely. The redhead nodded and hurried over to the kitchen to do as asked. I gently moved the one named Kisame over to the couch, trying not to hurt him too much, although his pain was pretty much impossible to avoid.

Still, once he was lying on his back, he let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks." He croaked out in a hoarse voice. I was taken aback only for a moment. I hadn't expected any sort of praise from S-rank criminals. The fact that they act nearly as normal as other Shinobi shocked me at first. I thought I'd been the only one to have actual emotions or whatever, not that I was judging them or anything.

"Can you put your right hand on your head?" I asked kindly; he gave me a strange look. "It'll help direct the blood flow to your upper body." I explained. He blinked, but nodded and did as asked. I took the initiative and moved his left arm to his chest, just over where his heart should be. "Keep putting intervals of pressure there, in time with your heart beat. It'll regulate blood flow and produce more red blood cells faster." I told him. He didn't question me as he began to pump his chest in a steady rhythm.

"Where did you learn that?" Itachi asked from his chair as he took the tea Sasori handed him. I spared him a quick glance as I pulled bandage wrap from my medical pouch under my cloak.

"I used to be a Medical Nin. Learned all sorts of stuff." I told him, unrolling the wrap. "I'm gonna need you to lift your back for a moment." I warned Kisame quietly. He nodded and grunted as he forced his torso up, obviously trying to endure the pain that caused.

I hurriedly wrapped the bandages around him, trying to lessen the time he had to hold himself like that. I told him when I was finished and he let out a long breath as he relaxed his body again. I then began to put a sort of clear gel onto his less major cuts and scrapes. It was a "skin cell stimulant" (as I liked to call it) that would heal his wounds faster.

"Okay, you should be fine now. You don't have to keep your arms like that anymore." I told him. He simply let his arms fall limp by his sides, closing his eyes tiredly. It wasn't a second later that he started snoring. I stood and moved on to Itachi, but he held up a bruised hand.

"That won't be necessary. I'm perfectly fine." He assured me. I narrowed my eyes.

"Bullshit. Is that why you're still bleeding out a river from your arm?" I asked disbelievingly, nodding at his injury. He glanced at it himself, then turned his skeptical black eyes on me again. He voiced no complaint as I began to work on his arm, applying the gel before wrapping it up in a bandage. He gave me a small nod when I finished.

"Thank you." He said in short before sipping from his tea. I smiled slightly and nodded back.

"You're welcome." I told him, replacing my supplies in my pouch as I stood. I glanced up to see someone standing in the entrance of the hallway, leaning against the wall. Even with such few encounters, I could recognize those miss-matched eyes anywhere.

"That was impressive." Kakuzu said, pushing himself off the wall as he slowly made his way over to the couch and chair. Sasori silently left down the hall, leaving us with a zonked out Kisame and Itachi. I gave a small shrug.

"It's nothing that I didn't use to do." I told him truthfully. He just looked at me.

"Your medicinal methods far surpass even Sasori's, and he's the medicine master around here." He told me; I just listened. "Your skills will come in quite handy."

"Indeed. Your healing concoction is quite the specimen, as well. Tell me, where did you acquire it?" Itachi asked, sounding much better than before. I blushed and looked down, wondering if it would freak them out, since I already used it on them.

"What?" Kakuzu asked persistently. I chewed on my lip for a moment.

"Well, it's...it's my blood." I told them shyly. The room was quiet for a minute or two, and I did not dare to meet either of their eyes.

"It doesn't look like blood." Itachi noted finally, seeming to recall the bland colour of the "gel". I cleared my throat uncomfortably.

"That's because, after a certain amount of time, any blood that has left my body becomes nearly translucent, like water. It's sort of like a natural defense technique, I guess." I said. "You know, to make it more difficult to track." I added, glancing up at Kakuzu. "The blood on the floor won't be visible by now." I told him.

"So, your blood carries your kekkei genkai?" Kakuzu asked curiously; I nodded. "Interesting..." He muttered partly to himself.

"Well, it's useful either way. Just about as strange as Deidara's hands, but still." Itachi said. I wasn't sure whether to take that as an insult or a compliment, so I just remained quiet.

"Kakuzu! Shihai!" I looked up at the sudden call sounding from down the hall. Kakuzu sighed.

"That's Leader. He wants us for something." He said, making his way down the hall. I quickly followed him, seeing as how Itachi seemed to have nothing more to say. He led me to a room with the door open, walking right in and taking a seat in front of the desk that was there. I sheepishly followed suit and took the other seat, seeing Pein writing something down on one of the many papers stacked on his desk.

"I have a mission ready for you. It's simple, more like an exercise to help get your partnership more established." He said, looking up at us. "You are to infiltrate the Hidden Leaf and acquire the Kyofu Scroll from the home of Hinata Hyuga." I raised a brow.

"But isn't the Hidden Leaf, like, our number-one enemy at the moment?" I asked; he nodded. "Then is it really wise to send us in there when they're probably told to kill on sight?" I persisted, seeing as how this didn't seem to be registering to him.

"Well, Shihai, I was about to get to that before you so kindly interrupted." He said pointedly, and I shrugged back in my chair. "Anyway, she is right in saying it's dangerous to send Akatsuki into the Hidden Leaf. Therefore, I've given you both identities to portray so you aren't immediately recognized." He said, handing us two different papers. "You'll need to use the Transformation Jutsu in order to pull this off. And remember, once you're inside, do not do anything that would insinuate that you are allied with the Akatsuki in any way. I expect this mission to last more than a day or two, so be prepared to hunker down for some time." He gave us each a pointed look. "You're dismissed."

And with that, we left his office, studying the papers on which our new identities were written.

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**Okay, no need to worry little stalkers! I'm back! I've finally finished a few side-stories that have been bugging me, so now I can work on the more important ones. While this is also a side-story, it could turn into a good one, so I'll most likely be updating frequently just as soon as I get settled down at my dad's. A Fleeting Feeling will be on the top of my list, and this one comes second. I'll also be working on Pokemon Savior privately until I get some goddamn reviews on that story. Anyway, read on! And don't forget to be an Aka-stalker!**


	3. Chapter 3: A New Role

My jaw slowly went slack and my feet slowed to a halt as I read over the identity I was supposed to portray. Even with a Transformation Jutsu, it would be awkward as hell. Not to mention embarrassing, but I wasn't sure who would be more humiliated in this case.  
"How the hell am I supposed to be your wife?" I asked incredulously, glancing over it once more to make sure I read it right.  
"Easy. Learn to act." Kakuzu said as he walked past me and into our room. I followed, scratching my head as I tried to figure this out. I mean, obviously, it wouldn't technically be that hard. But I'd never played or even been anyone's lover before. And I didn't even know this guy yet! What if he turned out to be a double agent or something and killed me once we got out there?  
Okay, maybe I was overreacting, but can you blame me?  
"Are you ready?" Kakuzu asked, turning my attention back to him. I sighed and nodded, re-reading the description of the person I was supposed to transform into. I put the paper in my pocket and formed the required hand signs as he did the same.  
After the smoke cleared, I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror, wrinkling my nose at the outcome. My hair was now a glossy golden curtain that flowed down to my waist, and my eyes stayed the same cerulean shade, but were now outlined by a decent amount of black mascara and eyeliner. It seemed like every blemish on my body had been removed (including my burn marks), and I could swear my boobs were bigger. Not that that was important.  
Kakuzu walked in behind me, and I gaped at his new appearance. His skin was lighter, but still held a slight tan, and his hair had been turned pitch black and shortened to hang loosely above his shoulders. His eyes also remained green, but the sclera were a normal white now. What really got me was the absence of his stitches, though. I couldn't recognize him if I tried.  
"Well don't you two make a cute couple, un." We turned to see Deidara standing in the door of the bathroom, for whatever reason. I rolled my eyes at his smirk as he brought something into view. He held up two folded outfits. "These are the clothes Pein wants you to wear, un. There are two extra outfits in your room, one for each of you. But don't wear them until you get into the village, un. Direct orders from Pein." He said, handing us the first set of clothes. "Oh, and he said he forgot to give you these. You're supposed to be able to find that Hyuga girl here, un." He added, handing us two pieces of paper. We each took one and studied them.  
"The Leaf Ball?" I asked questioningly, furrowing my brows. "Please attend this annual formal event of the Leaf Village. All guests must present a valid invitation upon arrival, only formal attire is permitted, and you must be Jounin rank or higher in order to attend." I read the summary aloud, raising a brow at Deidara. He shrugged.  
"Pein said those are genuine invitations, un. Not my problem if you two get busted." He said simply before turning to leave. But then he jumped back in and pointed a finger at me. "That dress better be flawless when you bring it back, un." He said sternly before walking out for real this time. I suppressed a chuckle to the best of my ability.  
Still, the mention of a dress made me go back into the room and check the other clothes he left. The ones I had in my hands looked like a simple everyday outfit. I found the dress lying on my bed and I held it up, letting it fall out in front of me as another round of shock hit me.  
It was mostly blue, seemingly the exact same shade as my eyes. It was strapless, but it had long sleeves attached to it by two small strings. The rim was made of shiny black material, whilst the corset was blue with black strings in the back. The bell wasn't too over-dramatic, but it wasn't flimsy, either. It had a small poof to it, and flowed down to the ground like a black and blue waterfall. And that wasn't all. There was a pair of shoes and a small box of accessories to match it.  
The shoes were black ,open-toed, two-inch heels, with strings that would probably reach my knees. The accessory box consisted of a pair of earrings, a necklace, and a very small amount of makeup. The earrings were small silver hoops with tiny blue gems converging at the bottom. The necklace matched with a silver chain and a similarly styled charm. The makeup was the mascara and eyeliner I was already wearing, a very light blush, and thin lip-gloss. I gulped hard as I took it all in.  
Would I really be able to pull this off? This was incredibly elegant attire, and I had no idea how the shape of this new body would look in it. For some reason, my self-consciousness sky-rocketed just then, and I was suddenly worried about what Kakuzu would think of it.  
Speaking of, I glanced over at him, seeing he was also studying the extra outfit he was given. It merely consisted of a fancy tuxedo with a blue vest and bow-tie to match the dress. I blushed and looked away again as I pictured how that would look on him. Both in his new body and his original one.  
"We should head out soon." He said suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts. I jumped slightly and nodded, returning the dress and the accessories to their original state. I pulled out a small back and easily fit it all in there, turning to see Kakuzu shoulder a backpack of sorts. "Ready?" He asked; I nodded. I followed him out, trying to force myself to remember his new face and voice. It wasn't quite as deep as before, and was a lot smoother. Not that I had any problem with his deep growl. It was actually kind of -  
"Just check into an inn when you get there." Pein said as we reached the door, causing me to look up before I ran into Kakuzu. "The ball begins at seven o'clock three days from now. That will most likely be your only chance of finding Hinata Hyuga. She and her cousin are attending the dance as honored guests." He said as we listened intently. "One of you needs to befriend either her or her cousin. They live in the same household, so a double infiltration would benefit. Her cousin's name is Neji, and he's part of the branch family. But don't let that fool you. He's known to be a rather renowned Shinobi." He warned; we nodded. "Alright, that's all I have to tell you. Good luck." He said, stepping aside to let us out.  
I followed Kakuzu as we started down a road that led toward the Hidden Leaf. It would take approximately one day to get there; shouldn't be too bad.  
Boy was I wrong.

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**So what'd ya think? I know I'm taking forever with this, but I'm building up to it. Reviews?**


	4. Chapter 4: Memories

Around late afternoon, we came across a small outpost town. It was going to get dark in a couple of hours, and we could arrive in Hidden Leaf just a few hours after sunrise tomorrow. We decided to check into an inn for the night, but we weren't going to stay there the whole time. That would be too boring, so we idly wandered around town, checking out the small stores and venders.

It wasn't too long before we started attracting attention, although I couldn't place why that would be. Honestly, I thought we blended in pretty well, what with the casual clothes we had on now. I wore a vibrant orange tube-top with criss-crossing straps across my stomach, mid-thigh black jean shorts, and simple black flip-flops. Kakuzu had on a black tank-top (showing off his admittably nice muscles), khaki shorts and white sandals. It seemed like, even with the new appearance, his body kept its original structure.

Still, the attention we got wasn't bad. It seemed like people were looking at us curiously, though. We walked together, but not _together_ together. And we hadn't forgotten to put on the "marriage" rings. Now that I thought about it, it must seem odd that a "married" couple would walk like they were just friends. And I noticed that I wasn't the only one who came to that realization.

"We're drawing too much attention for my liking." Kakuzu commented, glancing around and glaring at the people who kept staring. I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe that's because you keep sending daggers at anyone who looks at us." I suggested helpfully. He immediately dropped his gaze to the ground in front of him, furrowing his brows. I chuckled and bumped his arm with my shoulder. "Calm down. Just act natural. If you act like nothing's going on, then people won't think something's going on." I told him. He blew a small breath through his nose.

"If I was acting natural, everyone would be dead." He said. I raised and dropped my eyebrows, sighing deeply.

"How about acting like we're supposed to act?" I said, stealthily trailing my fingers down his arm until I reached his hand, interlocking our fingers. He tensed and glanced over at me questioningly. I just gave him a knowing look, and he nodded somewhat sheepishly. He grabbed hold of my hand, walking just a little closer to me. I leaned slightly against his shoulder, forcing down the blush that had been creeping up my face.

Even this small act of closeness averted the eyes of most. Some were embarrassed to continue staring, and others were rest-assured that there was nothing wrong. This seemed to tide over the nosy people for some time. We were able to wander the market place without much interruption. I even found a few trinkets that suited my fancy before it started getting dark and we had to go back to the inn.

We hadn't been to the room after checking in, but it was pretty average. Two beds, a walk-in bathroom, small bed-side tables for whatever. We walked right in and got settled down. It had been a somewhat boring day, but all that walking made my feet hurt a little. Not that I was one to complain, but I was ready to pass out as soon as my head hit that pillow.

"Shihai." I glanced up as Kakuzu said my name, giving him a questioning look. He was just sitting on the edge of his bed, not looking at me. "You never said...How old are you?" He asked, turning away a little more. I tilted my head to the side.

"Seventeen, why?" I asked. What did my age have to do with anything.

"No reason. Just wondering." He said quickly. I shrugged and settled back into the bed, too tired to dwell on the random question. I was already halfway under, and I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination or what, or but I could have sworn I heard a quiet "Goodnight." But, again, I was far too tired to think about anything right now. I quickly fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up bright and early in the morning, not too far behind Kakuzu, it seemed. It only took us a few short moments to get ready and we were setting out again. We could already see the beginnings of the Hidden Leaf halfway down the trail, which was good. But what wasn't good was the group of ninja heading our way.

We plastered ourselves to the side of the road, trying to be as unnoticeable as possible. But that didn't stop the tallest of the four from checking us out discreetly. I guessed he was the Jounin of that squad of Genin. He had short, dark hair, a bit of a beard, and a cigarette hanging from his mouth. His brown eyes and dark skin, along with the rest of his traits, seemed to ring a bell in my head, but I couldn't quite place why.

We locked eyes as we passed each other, and I suddenly realized where I'd seen him. Asuma Sarutobi, former of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi. I'd ran into him during one of my attempts to infiltrate the Sacred Fire Temple and steal its secrets. I was going to sell them and get a good bounty from it, but this little prick and some others got in my way. Surely, I was lucky to escape with my life, but I could never forget his face.

My lips started twitching, but I had to fight down the sneer. I shook with anger as I passed his team, averting my eyes and balling my fists.

"Oh, wow! I love your hair!" I froze as the Genin kunoichi suddenly appeared in front of me. She had platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, as if a lighter version of the body I had now. "How did you get it to look like that? I absolutely adore it!" She praised, looking like a giddy little school girl. To be fair, she did have the looks of a potential model, but she was far too energetic to fulfill the role just yet.

"Now, Ino, don't be rude. Come on, we have a mission." Asuma said suddenly, drawing the girl's attention. She gave me an apologetic smile.

"Oh, sorry about that. You do have really nice hair, though." She said again before returning to her squad.

"Sorry for the interruption. They're still a little rambunctious." Asuma said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. I turned and forced a smile on my face, though I hoped it looked more malicious than kind.

"Oh, it's no trouble. Your student seems to have good taste in style, herself." I commented, turning a more welcoming gaze onto Ino. She wasn't the one I hated, after all. And the comment seemed to make her all giddy again.

"Say, are you two heading toward the Leaf Village?" He asked, putting his hands in his pockets. I turned back to him, stabbing him with my eyes.

"Yes, actually. We're going to attend the Leaf Ball. Perhaps you could supply us with a bit of information about it? It's our first time." I said, snaking my arm around Kakuzu's waist as I spoke. He immediately lifted his arm around my shoulders, holding me a little closer. For some reason, I felt a desperate need to show him off right now.

"Oh, the Leaf Ball, hmm? I've only been to it once myself, but I distinctly remember nearly everyone there being uptight a-"

"Asuma!" One of the boys interrupted. He had dark hair tied back in a spiky ponytail, and bored expression on his face. Asuma laughed nervously.

"Sorry, guess I got a little carried away." He said sheepishly. I wondered if he was just that good of an actor, if he really was that dumb and couldn't recognize me from my chakra signature. "Anyway, to be honest, it's an elegant dance. Great food, too." He added.

"Food? Can we go?" Asked the other boy. He had a bit of chub to him, but I wouldn't necessarily call him fat. Asuma laughed good-heartedly.

"Haha, maybe, Choji. Let's just finish this mission first." He said, turning back to me. "We really should be off. It was nice meeting you folks." He said, urging the Genin to start walking. I nodded back, watching as he stayed behind and the Genin walked off unknowingly. His friendly gaze suddenly turned hard. "What are you doing here?" He asked in a low growl, taking a step toward me. I felt Kakuzu tense, but I put a calming hand on his arm.

"I believe I already told you. The ball, remember?" I said, as if he was dumb. He narrowed his eyes.

"I don't believe that for a second. Don't think I don't remember you. Your Transformation Jutsu doesn't fool me." He said sternly. I gave him a teasing smile.

"It may not fool you, but I think it'll fool everyone else. You're not exactly my target audience." I said with a sneer, finally letting it through. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the the Genin had stopped and turned to see where their sensei was. I smiled again as I saw a great opportunity.

I balled my hand into a fist and let loose on his face, sending him flying backwards into a tree. "Asuma Sensei!" The Genin yelled as they ran to assist him. "What the heck was that all about?!" The on named Ino yelled as the boys helped him up. I cracked my knuckles, feeling Kakuzu chuckle next to me.

"There was a bug." I said with a smile as I turned and started walking.

"Why I oughta -" Asuma cut the girl off.

"Don't. You don't want to get mixed up with her. She's bad news." He said in a slightly strained voice as he stood on his own. "If you cause any trouble, I won't hesitate to take you on again." He said, as if he had a chance. I turned my head to smile at him again.

"And if you get in my way, I won't hesitate to collect that bounty of yours." I said, turning back to face forward. Kakuzu's mouth hung open a little.

"What bounty?!" He asked incredulously. I chuckled at his sudden interest.

"He's got thirty-five million yen on his head." I told him. He just stared at me.

"And you let him go?!" He asked as if I was retarded or something. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"That isn't our mission right now. Besides, we'll draw too much attention if we start killing people. Perhaps on the way back, _if_ we run into him." I compromised. He sighed.

"Fine, but I swear, if we miss out on this..." He said suggestively. I chuckled as we approached the gates of Konoha.

"Why so serious? It's just a bounty." I said with a shrug.

"That's just it. I'm a bounty hunter." He said, making me look at him again.

"I didn't know that. I used to be one myself, but it was more of a side-job." I said. He raised a brow.

"How old were you when you became a rogue ninja?" He asked. I let out a long breath as I tried to remember.

"Somewhere between ten and thirteen. I got really pissed at my sensei and accidentally killed him." I said, then shrugged again. "And then I traded him into the black market and found out he was worth ten thousand. That's what got me started on the bounty hunting." I said. He made a small 'hn' sound.

We continued walking silently as we entered the Leaf, getting stopped by a couple guards by the gates. "We're going to need some identification before we can let you in." Said the one with spiky black hair. We pulled the fake IDs out of our pockets, and they looked them over.

"Alright, sorry for the hold-up. Welcome to the Hidden Leaf Village. Please enjoy your stay." Said the brown-haired one. We nodded and started in again, easily finding an inn not too far into town.

"We have to be careful now." I said as we climbed the stairs to reach our room. "I'm fairly certain I've run into a few Leaf ninja from time to time. One being that fag back there." I said, handing Kakuzu the keys as he unlocked the door. He nodded.

"I understand. And if we do run into trouble, we can always kill everyone." He said with a shrug, opening the door as I laughed.

But I went silent as I walked in, my eyes immediately darting to the empty half of the room. Oh god.

One bed.


End file.
